सुनंद नाम गोपस्य कन्याभूत्स महामुनिः । सुनंदेति समाख्याता या वीणां बिभ्रती करे
That great sage was then born as the daughter of the cowherd Sunaṃda, known as Sunaṃdā, who held a vīṇā in her hand.
मुनिरन्यः सत्यतपा इति ख्यातो महाव्रतः । सशुष्कपत्रं भुंक्ते यः प्रजजाप परं मनुम्
Another sage, famed as Satyatapas, a great vow-keeper, ate only dry leaves and recited the supreme mantra.
रत्यंतं कामबीजेन पुटितं च दशाक्षरम् । स प्रदध्यौ मुनिवरश्चित्रवेषधरं हरिम्
He recited the ten-syllabled mantra, infused with the kāma-bīja to its limit, and that best of sages meditated on Hari, adorned in wondrous attire.
धृत्वा रमाया दोर्वल्लीद्वितयं कंकणोज्ज्वलम् । नृत्यंतमुन्मदंतं च संश्लिष्यं तं मुहुर्मुहुः
He beheld Hari wearing the two shining bangles of Ramā's arms, dancing in ecstasy, embracing her again and again.
हसंतमुच्चैरानंदतरंगं जठरांबरे । दधतं वेणुमाजानु वैजयंत्या विराजितम्
He saw him laughing aloud, waves of joy surging, his garment covering his belly, holding the flute down to his knees, splendid with the Vaijayantī garland.
स्वेदांभः कणसंसिक्त ललाटवलिताननम् । त्यक्त्वा त्यक्त्वा स वै देहं तपसा च महामुनिः
Sweat-drops moistening his brow, his face radiant, again and again that great sage abandoned his body through austerity.
दशकल्पांतरे जातो ह्ययं नंदवनादिह । सुभद्र नाम्नो गोपस्य कन्या भद्रेति विश्रुता
In another ten aeons, he was born here in Nandavana as the daughter of the cowherd Subhadra, renowned as Bhadra.
यस्याः पृष्ठतले दिव्यं व्यजनं परिदृश्यते । हरिधामाभिधानस्तु कश्चिदासीन्महामुनिः
On whose back a divine fan was seen—there was a great sage named Haridhāmābhidhāna.
सोऽप्यतप्यत्तपः कृच्छ्रं नित्यं पत्रैकभोजनम् । आशुसिद्धिकरं मंत्रं विंशत्यर्णं प्रजप्तवान्
He too performed severe austerity, subsisting always on a single leaf, reciting the twenty-syllabled mantra that swiftly grants success.
अनंतरं कामबीजादध्यारूढं तदेव तु । माया तत्पुरतो व्योम हंसासृग्द्युतिचंद्रकम्
Immediately after the kāma-bīja, he installed that very mantra; before him appeared Māyā in the sky, with the radiance of swan's blood and the moon.
ततो दशाक्षरं पश्चान्नमोयुक्तं स्मरादिकम् । दध्यौ वृंदावने रम्ये माधवीमंडपे प्रभुम्
Then, the ten-syllabled mantra, joined with 'namaḥ' and the smara prefix, he meditated in the delightful Vṛndāvana, in the Mādhavī pavilion, on the Lord.
उत्तानशायिनं चारुपल्लवास्तरणोपरि । कयाचिदतिकामार्त्त बल्लव्या रक्तनेत्रया
He saw him lying on his back upon a lovely bed of tender leaves, with a cowherd maiden, her eyes reddened with intense longing.
वक्षोजयुगमाच्छाद्य विपुलोरः स्थलं मुहुः । संचुंब्यमानगंडांतं तृप्यमानरदच्छदम्
She covered his broad chest with her pair of breasts, repeatedly kissing his cheeks, delighting in his smiling lips.
कलयंतं प्रियां दोर्भ्यां सहासं समुदाद्भुतम् । स मुनिश्च बहून्देहां स्त्यक्त्वा कल्पत्रयांतरे
He saw him embracing his beloved with both arms, smiling in wonder; and that sage, abandoning many bodies over three aeons—
सारंगनाम्नो गोपस्य कन्याभूच्छुभलक्षणा । रंगवेणीति विख्याता निपुणा चित्रकर्मणि
A cowherd named Sāranga had a daughter with auspicious marks, renowned as Raṅgaveṇī, skilled in the art of painting.
यस्या दंतेषु दृश्यंते चित्रिताः शोणबिंदवः । ब्रह्मवादी मुनिः कश्चिज्जाबालिरिति विश्रुतः
On her teeth could be seen red spots like painted marks; there was a certain sage, a knower of Brahman, famed as Jābāli.
सतपः सुरतो योगी विचरन्पृथिवीमिमाम् । स एकस्मिन्महारण्ये योजनायुतविस्तृते
Practicing severe austerity, devoted to virtue, and a yogi, he wandered this earth; in a vast forest spanning ten yojanas, he traveled alone.
यदृच्छयागतोऽपश्यदेकां वापीं सुशोभनाम् । सर्वतः स्फाटिकाबंधतटां स्वादुजलान्विताम्
By chance, he came upon a beautiful pond, its banks built of crystal all around, filled with sweet water.
विकासिकमलामोदवायुना परिशीलिताम् । तस्याः पश्चिमदिग्भागे मूले वटमहीरुहः
It was perfumed by breezes carrying the scent of blooming lotuses; at its western edge, at the base, stood a great banyan tree.
अपश्यत्तापसीं कांचित्कुर्वंतीं दारुणं तपः । तारुण्यवयसायुक्तां रूपेणाति मनोहराम्
There he saw an ascetic woman performing severe austerities, youthful in age and exceedingly beautiful in form.
चंद्रांशुं सदृशाभासां सर्वावयवशोभनाम् । कृत्वा कटितटे वामपाणिं दक्षिणतस्तदा
She shone with a radiance like moonbeams, all her limbs splendid; she placed her left hand on her hip and her right at her side.
ज्ञानमुद्रां च बिभ्राणामनिमेषविलोचनाम् । त्यक्ताहारविहारां च सुनिश्चलतयास्थिताम्
She held the gesture of knowledge, her eyes unblinking, having abandoned food and pleasure, remaining utterly still.
जिज्ञासुस्तां मुनिवरस्तस्थौ तत्र शतं समाः । तदंते तां समुत्थाप्य चलितां विनयान्मुनिः
Desiring to know her, the great sage stood there for a hundred years; at the end of that time, he roused her as she stirred, with humility.
अपृच्छत्का त्वमाश्चर्यरूपे किं वा चरिष्यसि । यदि योग्यं भवेत्तर्हि कृपया वक्तुमर्हसि
He asked, 'Who are you, wondrous in form? What are you doing here? If it is appropriate, please tell me out of kindness.'
अथाब्रवीच्छनैर्बाला तपसातीव कर्शिता । ब्रह्मविद्याहमतुला योगींद्रैर्या विमृग्यते
Then the girl, greatly emaciated by austerity, softly spoke: 'I am the unequalled knowledge of Brahman, sought by the lords of yogis.'
साहं हरिपदाम्भोजकाम्यया सुचिरं तपः । चराम्यस्मिन्वने घोरे ध्यायंती पुरुषोत्तमम्
'I, desiring the lotus feet of Hari, have long performed austerities in this dreadful forest, meditating on the Supreme Person.'
ब्रह्मानंदेन पूर्णाहं तेनानंदेन तृप्तधीः । तथापि शून्यमात्मानं मन्ये कृष्णरतिं विना
'I am filled with the bliss of Brahman, my mind satisfied by that joy; yet I consider myself empty without love for Kṛṣṇa.'
इदानीमतिनिर्विण्णा देहस्यास्य विसर्ज्जनम् । कर्त्तुमिच्छामि पुण्यायां वापिकायामिहैव तु
'Now, utterly disillusioned, I wish to give up this body here in this sacred pond, for the sake of merit.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या मुनिरत्यंतविस्मितः । पतित्वा चरणे तस्याः कृष्णोपासाविधिं शुभम्
Hearing her words, the sage was utterly astonished; falling at her feet, he asked for the auspicious method of worshipping Kṛṣṇa.
पप्रच्छ परमप्रीतस्त्यक्त्वाध्यात्मविरोचनम् । तयोक्तं मंत्रमाज्ञाय जगाम मानसं सरः
With supreme delight, abandoning his own spiritual pride, he questioned her; learning the mantra from her, he went to the Mānasa lake.